Original Stuck Riddim – Dennis Star International

The 1989 Stuck Riddim comes out of Dennis Star International with that late-’80s dancehall pressure: a lean, bass-heavy cut that keeps its energy tight and percussive while leaving plenty of room for the deejays to work. Beenie Don’s “Artical Love” and Charlie Chaplin’s “Guide Me O Jah” set the tone with contrasting styles, while Flourgon’s “Evil Doers” and General Trees’ “Dance And Spread Out” push the riddim deeper into bashment territory. Fire House Crew’s “Stuck Version” also matters here, because the instrumental strips the whole thing back to the rhythm bed and shows how sturdy the pattern is underneath all the voices. Pliers and Beenie Don closing on “I Found Love” gives the set a lighter finish without losing the pocket.